You should only be charged that fee if you have a cable provided HD converter box. Many do simply to get VOD. With Comcast VOD coming to Premiere (eventually), I suspect many will return their cable boxes.

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If that were true, then when would the "Customer Owned Equipment" credit come into play?

See my thread here. Bottom line is that FCC complaints need to be filed against Comcast for inconsistent application of Cablecard rentals - some areas get the A/O fees with credits (and some without credits), some don't get charged anything for cards, some get charged $1.50 per card. It's all over the map, and it's against the new rules.

They need to be charging a single fee for each card after the first, same as every other cableCo, and it's what the FCC says should be done. I would argue that the bogus 'HD tech fee' falls into the same category if you don't have any of their boxes, but Comcast would probably say that you get charged that whether you have their box or not if you get HD channels and probably get away with it. Still doesn't explain why some areas get it and some don't, but their billing is all messed up.

When did comcast announce that they were raising rates? I just looked at my January bill and both the Basic Cable charge and the HD technology fee went up. Basic went from $59.95 to $63.70 and the HD technology fee went from $8.50 to $9.95.

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Just to clarify, you should only get charged the HD fee if you have a HD box. A CableCard isn't a HD box. Not all Comcast reps are aware of this distinction.
And I'm not sure if you have a HD STB, but you did post in the CableCard thread...
And damn, that must be a digital "basic" package. Because in my market, Basic Cable is only $15. But it's only ~30 channels.

some don't get charged anything for cards, some get charged $1.50 per card. It's all over the map, and it's against the new rules.

They need to be charging a single fee for each card after the first, same as every other cableCo, and it's what the FCC says should be done. I would argue that the bogus 'HD tech fee' falls into the same category if you don't have any of their boxes, but Comcast would probably say that you get charged that whether you have their box or not if you get HD channels and probably get away with it. Still doesn't explain why some areas get it and some don't, but their billing is all messed up.

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According to my rate brochure the first CC on an outlet is $0.00. Each additional card is $1.50. When I picked up the card, the rep threw in a $2.30 fee. Not sure where she pulled that number out of.
But we should consider ourselves lucky that Comcast is giving us the first one for free. Or in a more cynical tone, it's good that they're throwing them in for as high as the cable packages are. The FCC admits that most operators charge $2-4 per month for the first card, and specifically allows them to via FCC Rule 76.1205(b)(5), 76.1602(b).

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And just an update to my situation (long story short: went to service center, asked for card, told I wasn't allowed to get one for my cable package, mentioned FCC rules, got card with $2.30/month charge, called billing, charge removed) I sent an email to we_can_help and told them that story and how everything was squared away and asked that they remind the center manager of their policies. Removing the cookie cutter bookend parts of their response:

Review of your account indicated that our billing department has updated your account and provided you with the necessary credits. I have provided feedback to the cable store supervisor and their manager in regard to the interaction you had and the information provided. I have reviewed the documentation we have on file in regard to cablecards and it appears there may very well be some confusion in regard to when and how they may be issued. This information is being updated to prevent future incidents like yours.

Due to this incident I have authorized your account to receive a $20 credit as a courtesy for your inconvenience.

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Nifty that they gave me a credit. I wouldn't think it deserved one. Having the center manager not slam anyone with fees in the future is rewarding enough to me.

The tech at Comcast told me to save rental $$$ I could get my HD channels using a TIVO box and a Comcast supplied cable card. Do I need to activate the TIVO susbscrition to make this work? Or can I just plug in the TIVO box, activate the card and Wha -La, I have a HD box (minus some functionality) with no rental fees. Anyone know? HD thru Xbox coming soon at Comcast too.

The tech at Comcast told me to save rental $$$ I could get my HD channels using a TIVO box and a Comcast supplied cable card. Do I need to activate the TIVO susbscrition to make this work? Or can I just plug in the TIVO box, activate the card and Wha -La, I have a HD box (minus some functionality) with no rental fees. Anyone know? HD thru Xbox coming soon at Comcast too.

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The only thing a TiVo without a subscription will do is pause up to 30 minutes of live TV.

I'm not really interested in any TiVO functionality what so ever, I just want to put a cable card in it and use it as a HD tuner in my basement. I just want LIVE tv. The cable guy sais this is away to get around from paying 10 bucks a month for an extra box.

I'm not really interested in any TiVO functionality what so ever, I just want to put a cable card in it and use it as a HD tuner in my basement. I just want LIVE tv. The cable guy sais this is away to get around from paying 10 bucks a month for an extra box.

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In my area they will hit you with a $9.75 "additional outlet" fee and a $2.50 credit for using your own box.

I have my TiVo HD with a Comcast Mcc and there are no charges for it at all.

I picked up a 2nd Mcablecard just yesterday for my Premier coming Tuesday and they told me there was no charge for it either. She said the first ones are free but its $1.50 if a second one is needed "for the same device".

I have my TiVo HD with a Comcast Mcc and there are no charges for it at all.

I picked up a 2nd Mcablecard just yesterday for my Premier coming Tuesday and they told me there was no charge for it either. She said the first ones are free but its $1.50 if a second one is needed "for the same device".

I guess I won't really know until I activate it and get my next bill.

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The first cablecard and converter box is bundled into the outlet charge. The new Tivo will probably incur an additional outlet charge of approimately $9. If you needed a 2nd cablecard in it (which you don't), then you would pay a cablecard charge. Since you are bringing your own box/converter (the Tivo) you will receive a credit of approximately $2.50 on the outlet charge.

The result is that the additional Tivo will probably cost you about $6.50 in new charges (outlet/cablecard/credit, etc.).

Of course, if you are REPLACING a Comcast box with the Tivo, then there will be no new additional outlet charge and you should receive a credit because you are no longer using their box.

The first cablecard and converter box is bundled into the outlet charge. The new Tivo will probably incur an additional outlet charge of approimately $9. If you needed a 2nd cablecard in it (which you don't), then you would pay a cablecard charge. Since you are bringing your own box/converter (the Tivo) you will receive a credit of approximately $2.50 on the outlet charge.

The result is that the additional Tivo will probably cost you about $6.50 in new charges (outlet/cablecard/credit, etc.).

Of course, if you are REPLACING a Comcast box with the Tivo, then there will be no new additional outlet charge and you should receive a credit because you are no longer using their box.

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My bill just went up $7.45 for "Additional Outlet Service Charge (with Cablecard) includes customer owned video equipment credit" when I added first TiVo Premiere last month. I moved their STB to a different room so didn't replace one. Nice shell game on their part cloaking credit in a new larger fee.

I picked up a cc before my TiVo came so I would be ready and it got stuck on the "acquiring channels" screen. I called Comcast and spoke to 3 different people over 40 minutes and all they could do is resend the signal and say I needed a tech to come to the house.

Comcast is only blocks from where I work so instead I took the cc back and got another one. As soon as the clerk went to remove the first cc he said the CS people were idiots and it was obvious the cc service was not setup properly. He made some changes and gave me a cc.

I went to install this 2nd cc and started receivng "some" channels within minutes but no channels over 812 worked. I called Comcast and they said it can take up to an hour so I wait and still nothing. Called again signal sent and told needed a tech to come to the house, hung up called right back hoping to get someone better and was told the same thing. Finally asked for a supervisor who was very apologetic but could do nothing but schedule an appt for Fri afternoon for a tech to swap the cards.

I am 99.9% sure swapping the card will do nothing and its a setting on their end but can't seem to get them to understand. Maybe when I end up swapping out 10-20 cc's someone will finally figure it out.

I got Comcast to remove ALL fees--just by quoting them all the fine print in the bottom of their rate booklet. I have 2 Tivo Premieres with 2 M Cards.

1. Their ratecard said the first CableCard "per device" is free, the second is $1.50. The first bill had an addition $1.50 fee on each card. They tried telling me an M Card counted as 2 cards. I reminded them that their sheet said "the first card per device" and that an M Card is a single physical card--He looked it up, removed the fee.

2. $10 HD Fee "For installation of Comcast HD equipment"--the rep didn't even question this, and took the fee off. He said that they get this a lot from Tivo owners--and that as far as they are concerned a CableCard could be plugged into anything, HD or not.

3. $8.00 "Additional Digital Outlet Fee"--my logic was that the fine print charges $8.00 for an additional digital outlet, but a DTA, basically a ClearQAM digital cable box, has no charge (thus the "digital outlet" is for the better equipment, NOT the extra drop--and since I have a CableCard, which is free for the first one in a device, there would be no equipment fee)

Well II didn't even have to ask for it. While taking care of the HD fee, the rep said "Oh, you don't have any Comcast equipment on here besides the CableCards--looks like we have you down for an extra cable box"--and removed the fee. Easy enough.

So maybe I was extremely lucky? I cut $21.00 off my Comcast bill in one phone call--and I have 2 Tivos (Premiers I got off Craigslist at the grandfathered rates through Tivo) for much less than what Comcast wants for their crappy Motorola HD DVR boxes--$10 HD fee + $15.95 per unit.

My bill just went up $7.45 for "Additional Outlet Service Charge (with Cablecard) includes customer owned video equipment credit" when I added first TiVo Premiere last month. I moved their STB to a different room so didn't replace one. Nice shell game on their part cloaking credit in a new larger fee.

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Did you have to call about the customer owned Video Equipment credit? I didn't see it on my last bill so I'm going to have to call them.

I was right and it was only a code that was not entered. The tech came out checked the signal level then called the office, after a few minutes on the phone the HD channels on the one card were not set up right.

He said its very common and cc installs are almost always problematic. He had a STACK of extra cards with him incase.

Depends on what you consider "lucky". If lucky is getting Comcast to correctly follow their own pricing structure, then I'd say you got lucky.

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I wouldn't say I feel lucky about getting them to follow their pricing structure--I make sure that happens with everyone I do business with--and if it doesn't I call until I get someone who knows what they are doing and gets it the way it should be.

I was referring more to the fact that the fine print in my area is actually priced fairly and in a way that makes sense when it comes to customer owned equipment. It seems like a lot of people complain about having all these CableCard and extra "BS fees" on their accounts on their Tivos, especially with Comcast.

Am I just lucky to live in an area where they don't pull that crap in their pricing, or is this the case in most of their markets and people just aren't persistent/knowledgeable enough to call them out on it? I mean I can sort of understand a $1.50 M-card fee slipping through and someone just ignoring it--but $21 in BS fees is half of the internet bill every month, and it would seem to me that most people would be making sure it is removed.

What I didn't mention in my previous post was the other thing they pulled: I *bought* a new Cable Modem from them for $99 one-time vs. $8 per month lease. I've owned cable modems for 12 years (when I moved, I figured it was time to buy a new DOCSIS 3.0 modem, so I ordered a new one when I added the TV), and have had exactly 2 of them go bad. At $99 each, I've been WAY ahead of the game vs. $8 per month. The sales guy was CLUELESS, but got the $99 charge on... THEN they tried dinging me for $8 per month.

It took me 3 phone calls over 3 months to explain that this was OWNED (it only has a $99 charge and PURCHASED EQUIPMENT on my first bill!). Apparently I am the only person who buys their cable modem--and why wouldn't I? I mean, at $99 to buy it from them, it pays for itself in a year vs. the lease fee--at the 5+ years that each of mine have lasted, I've avoided paying Comcast nearly a $1000 in lease fees lol. No wonder Comcast hides the fact that you can BUY a modem in such small print (you can also buy them from Best Buy, but they are basically the same price for a 3.0 unit--for $99 they brought me this one)

It took me 3 phone calls over 3 months to explain that this was OWNED (it only has a $99 charge and PURCHASED EQUIPMENT on my first bill!). Apparently I am the only person who buys their cable modem--and why wouldn't I? I mean, at $99 to buy it from them, it pays for itself in a year vs. the lease fee--at the 5+ years that each of mine have lasted, I've avoided paying Comcast nearly a $1000 in lease fees lol. No wonder Comcast hides the fact that you can BUY a modem in such small print (you can also buy them from Best Buy, but they are basically the same price for a 3.0 unit--for $99 they brought me this one)

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I believe that's why Comcast pushes their triple play service so hard. You have to rent the modem from them when you use their voice service since voice service modems aren't for sale. That's an extra $7 for them and one of the reasons I dropped their phone service. The other being they charge $45 a month for what I get virtually free from Ooma.